Life, 1927-09-08 · page 27 of 36
Life — September 8, 1927 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **radio equipment advertisement**, not satire. It's a Grebe company ad for their Synchrophase Seven radio receiver ($135). The headline "Eight Years Before" references Grebe's claim to have pioneered radio technology approximately eight years before American entry into World War I (the "doughboy's anthem" reference). The decorative illustration shows children at a Parisian café, evoking a pre-war European setting. The ad's pitch emphasizes **patriotic credibility**: Grebe equipment was allegedly used by Allied governments and military transports during WWI, establishing the company as trustworthy and reliable for civilian consumers. This was common post-war marketing—associating commercial products with military success to build consumer confidence. The small illustration shows the ornate wooden radio receiver ($135) and natural speaker ($35). This is straightforward product promotion exploiting wartime nostalgia and patriotism, not political commentary or satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Enght ‘Years. Before ton E be lA—pArX LMOST a decade before the streets of Paris first echoed to the “doughboy’s anthem,” Grebe was pioneering in radio. Many of our own and our allies’ transports and warships were Grebe-equipped. Just as Grebe enjoyed the confidence and trust of governments, so today Grebe apparatus enjoys the good will of an ever-widening radio public. Eighteen years of radio experience is built into every Grebe Synchrophase Seven — your guarantee of un- failing performance and unerring satisfaction. Send for Booklet L. Then ask a dealer to demonstrate. A. H. Grebe © Co., Inc., 109 West 57th Street, New York City . Factory: Richmond Hill, N.Y Western Branch: 443 South San The oldest exclusive rad) Gri The Gi Speaker $35 TR BB Say || A YNCHROPHASE, TRADE MARK ACG US PAT OFF Grebe Synchrophase Seven $135 comicbooks.com